If this is the first edition of the MarineParents.com Newsletter you have received, WELCOME! If you are a returning reader we are glad you have joined us.

We are proud to tell you that on August 28th we will be shipping 1300 care packages to our deployed men and women in Afghanistan - the most we have shipped to date. This is quite an accomplishment, and we are very excited that so many Marines will be able to enjoy these packages. Thanks to all of you who have supported The Care Package Project!™

Supporting Marines, $1 at a Time

The Story Behind One Marine Mom's Donation

One Marine Mom sent a dollar to our office in contribution to our Care Package Dollar Campaign, which collects funds necessary to ship care packages overseas.

She included a personal letter with her dollar, and in the letter was a touching story behind the dollar she generously donated:

"I was walking to my office from the parking lot this morning and saw a $1 bill on the ground. I picked it up and asked around if it belonged to anyone. Nobody claimed it so I put it in my purse and settled in to begin my morning.

We originally planned to ship 1100 care packages to Marines in Afghanistan this Saturday, August 28th, but we are excited to report that we now have over 1300 Marines in our database who have requested a care package.

This is the most we've ever had, and we need more funds than we anticipated to be able to ship these packages.

There are only three days left until our volunteers begin packing, and we still need $5,000 to cover the cost of shipping.

If you can spare just $5 this week, you can ensure that one more Marine gets to open a care package.

Forward this email to family and friends who would be willing to help. Together we can get these care packages overseas!

It is always very rewarding for us to receive thank-you notes from Marines who have received our care packages, but one note we recently received was especially heartwarming:

The photo of the two Marine brothers:

Get Your Gold Star Luminaries!

Honor Gold Star Mothers This September 26

Just as it is important to recognize the military members who have sacrificed everything in service to our country, it is important that we honor their families who have also made the ultimate sacrifice.

Gold Star Mother's Day is the one day out of the year specifically designated to recognizing Gold Star Mothers and families.

Show your support by lighting a Gold Star Luminary on this day. They are inexpensive and easy to make! You just need a few basic materials. You can purchase them on your own, or you can buy a Luminary kit from our EGA Store.

This adorable Marine Corps bear stands 20" tall and is dressed in authentic-looking USMC Dress Blues. The detail on this bear's uniform makes him a great buy! His sturdy faux-leather shoes allow him to stand on his own, and his gold buttons feature the EGA.

He also comes with a customizable dog tag. You have the option to include a photo on the front, which we size to fit, and a few lines of text on the back.

This bear is a great gift for a Marine or a proud family member! Originally $39.95, he is now on sale for $36.95 for 24 hours only.

THANK YOU for supporting our outreach programs with each purchase you make!

UPDATE on Recent Tobacco Issue

The issue is resolved!

The US Postal Service has responded to concerns that the Pact Act, which originally prevented cigarettes from being mailed to those deployed in Afghanistan, placed an unreasonable restriction on military members and their families.

Per the US Postal Service and effective August 27, military families can send tobacco products to their loved ones overseas using priority mail boxes.

The US Postal Service has not yet released their official guidelines, but keep checking our website as we will post them as soon as they are released.

We hope this week's edition of our email newsletter has been useful for you and your family. If there are topics you would like us to address, or if you have other suggestions for the newsletter, please contact us.

The banner used at the top of this newsletter is an August 2010 USMC Photo by Cpl. Ryan Rholes of Staff Sgt. Rey Castro. He ducks his head to avoid rotor wash as a CH-53E Super Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter 361, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), flies away after inserting Marines and geologists at helicopter landing zone Barton, Khan Neshin Ghar, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Centrum, Aug. 16. Click here to read additional credits.

MarineParents.com, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity. MarineParents.com, Inc. was founded in January, 2003 in response to parents' needs to find information and to have a Place to Connect & Share™ with one another during deployments. Our free online services and connections have expanded to support and educate Marine moms & dads, spouses, families and friends. We've helped over 40,000 Marine and recruit families during bootcamp, training, active duty and deployments. We've shipped thousands of care packages overseas to our Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan, sent thousands of prayers and letters to injured Marines and served hundreds of meals to Wounded Warriors and their families on both the East and West coasts. You've found a Place to Connect & Share™.

God Bless and Semper Fidelis,

Tracy Della Vecchia

Founder and Executive DirectorMarineParents.com, Inc.

Neither the United States Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense has approved, endorsed, or authorized this service.